With Linked in – you create
a business profile, you invite other business people you know to join you. You list your education, experience, awards,
etc. Others endorse you for specific
skills. When someone is looking at you
for a potential hire, they can see not only what you think of yourself, but
what others think about you as well.
Today, we will go on LinkedIn to hire someone who meets the following four
job characteristics (1) Person of Nobility - King (2) Person of Wisdom - Wise Men (3) Person of Spirit – Prophetess (4) Person
of Vision - Simeon
(1) Nobility - King
Applicant:
Herod
Herod the Great, (Map #1) Roman-appointed king of Judea
(37–4 bc), built many fortresses,
aqueducts, theatres, and other public buildings and generally raised the
prosperity of his land but who was the centre of political and family intrigues
in his later years. The New Testament
portrays him as a tyrant, into whose kingdom Jesus of was born.
His father Herod Antipater met Mark Antony
and became lifelong friends. Julius Caesar
also favored the family; he appointed Antipater procurator of Judea in 47 bc and conferred on him Roman
citizenship, an honor that descended to his children. Herod made his political
debut in the same year, when his father appointed him governor of Galilee.
Six years later Mark Antony
made him tetrarch of Galilee. In the year 37 bc,
at the age of 36, Herod became unchallenged ruler and king of Judea.
Herod has quite a resume for being included in the
Christmas event.
Matthew 2:1-8 After
Jesus was born in (Map #2) Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod,
Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where
is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and
have come to worship him." When King Herod heard this he was
disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the
people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ
was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea,"
they replied, "for this is what the prophet
has written: "'But you, Bethlehem, in
the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of
you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'"
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the
star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as
you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."
Herod found out where the infant king
(Jesus) would be born and lied to the wise men about wanting to come and
worship him. They were warned by an
angel and did not go back to Herod. END
MAP SLIDES
Matthew 2:16-20
When Herod realized that he had
been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the
boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in
accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through
the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: "A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are
no more." After Herod died,
an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land
of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead."
Herod was LinkedIn to
the Christmas event. He was told a new
king was born and because of his insecurities –he had all male babies in
Bethlehem 2 years old and younger murdered.
This was a business move on Herod’s part. He did not want a rival for his throne, so he
unsuccessfully attempted to get rid of him.
(2) Wisdom – The Wise Men
The Wise Men were LinkedIn to the Christmas event in
a very different way, but also from a business perspective.
The
Wise Men came from Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia or the Yemen. Although they are
often called the 'Three Kings', the Bible does not say how many there were, or
that they were kings.
They were definitely men of learning. The word Magi
comes from the greek word 'magos' (where the english word 'magic' comes from).
Magos itself comes from the old persian word 'Magupati'. Today we'd call them astrologers. The magi
would have followed the patterns of the stars religiously. They had seen an unusual new star in the sky,
and knew that it told of the birth of a special king. No one really knows what
the new star in the sky was, and there are many theories including comets,
supernovas, a conjunctions of planets or something supernatural!
When the Wise Men found Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus,
they would have been living in a normal house in Bethlehem. The gifts seem
quite strange to give to a baby, but not to a baby king. Gold:
is associated with Kings. Frankincense: is
sometimes used in worship. Myrrh: is a perfume that
is put on dead bodies and showed that Jesus would suffer and die. The Wise Men, based on their belief about the
star, did what they thought they should do by finding Jesus and bringing gifts
as astrology was their business.
Then we have two others who also come into play after
the birth of Jesus, one was doing her job, the other – well I will let you
decide if it was related to business or pleasure.
(3) Person of Spirit - Anna
Luke 2:21-38
On the eighth
day, when it was time to circumcise him, Joseph and Mary took Jesus to
Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with
what is said in the Law of the Lord.
Luke 2:36-38
There was a prophetess
named Anna. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after
her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left
the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to Mary
and Joseph, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were
looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
See this 84 year old great grandmother
type – at her job which she did night and day, EVERYONE knew her. Picture her walking around holding Jesus and
telling them that the redemption of Jerusalem is in her arms.
SUMMARY
Herod was LinkedIn but not endorsed.
The Wisemen were LinkedIn and endorsed as Wise and Generous. Anna was LinkedIn and endorsed as prophetic
and spiritual. But none were more
LinkedIn to the Christmas story, and to our story, than Simeon.
(4) Person of Vision - Simeon is truly
LinkedIn
Luke 2:25-35
25 Now there
was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was
waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had
been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had
seen the Lord's Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts.
When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of
the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss
your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have
prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and
for glory to your people Israel."
The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then
Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in
Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of
many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."
The Holy Spirit revealed to him that he would see the
long-awaited Messiah before he died. In the Christmas story, we see that Simeon
comes to Mary and Joseph, and takes their little baby from them.
I am sure they were shocked. Who knows the number of
parents that brought their first-born baby boys into the temple on the day. How
could Simeon pick the baby Jesus out of the crowd? In verse 30, Simeon says, “For my eyes
have seen your salvation.” What was it that Simeon’s old eyes saw? Just a little baby boy with five small toes on
each foot and five little fingers on each hand. But when Simeon looks at the
baby Jesus he obviously sees much more than just a little baby. “My eyes have
seen your salvation.” That
word “see” is important. It means to perceive, to know, to understand. The Holy
Spirit of God that moved Simeon to go to the temple at the very moment when
Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were arriving helped him see more than just a little
baby.
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Simeon sees that Jesus
is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies: that Jesus is the promised
Messiah, the Immanuel, the God who is with us, and the “wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace” foretold centuries earlier
by the prophet Isaiah. Simeon miraculously sees with his own eyes what God’s
people waited centuries to see, and what Simeon himself waited an entire
lifetime to see.
Simeon sees even more. He sees the wonderful miracles
that Jesus will be doing. He sees that Jesus will heal the blind, the lame, the
sick, and the lepers. Simeon sees that Jesus will even raise the dead to life.
Simeon hears the wonderful news that Jesus will be bringing. Good News of God’s
love and forgiveness to the poor, the prisoners, and the outcasts of society.
Simeon sees the love that Jesus will show to people like Zacchaeus, Mary,
Martha, Lazarus, a Roman centurion, prostitutes, a woman caught in adultery,
and to you and me.
Simeon sees still more. Filled with the Holy Spirit,
Simeon sees the cross and the grave, and Jesus’ resurrection on the first
Easter. Simeon sees that Jesus is the Suffering Servant Who would die for our
sins, as anticipated by the prophets. He sees in the baby Jesus that one day He
would be despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with
grief, as Isaiah foretold centuries earlier. Simeon sees that Jesus will be
hated. Simeon sees that Jesus is “the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of all
people.” Simeon sees that the baby Jesus will also be a Savior for
those from every tribe and nation, language and people who also long for God.
Simeon also saw a world not unlike ours. A world full
of war and terror, of death, of great poverty, where children kill and are
killed. Simeon saw a world desperate with hurt and pain and immorality. He sees
the terrible human tragedies that come from violence, illness, earthquakes,
tornadoes, tsunamis, and hurricanes.
As Simeon sees the baby Jesus, he is ready to meet
God, His maker, and can die in peace. Why? Because Simeon not only sees, but
also believes. He believes Jesus is the Savior. Simeon believes that Jesus is
the Messiah. He believes that this little baby Jesus is the Son of God.
INVITATION
Can we say today with Simeon, “I can die in peace,
for my eyes have seen your salvation.” You don’t have to be holding the baby
Jesus in your arms to say that. You just have to hold Jesus in your heart by
faith. You just have to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life. And, as
Simeon teaches us, you are never too old, or too young, to see God’s salvation.
Herod, Anna, the Wise
Men are part of the Christmas story because of their particular business in
life. But Simeon, had no business being
in the story, YET he more than anyone else was truly LinkedIn. How ‘bout you, you had no business there – it
took place over 2000 years ago. Like
Simeon, are you LinkedIn to the Christmas story? Have you seen the salvation of your
soul? Are you holding Jesus close and
telling the good news to others? If so,
I would agree you are LinkedIn and God is happy to endorse you as a: (1) Person
of Nobility – Child of the King of kings
(2) Person of Wisdom – Wise in knowing your need of a savior (3) Person of Spirit – Having put your trust
in Jesus (4) Person of Vision – Seeing God high and lifted up, bringing
salvation to the world as much today as Simeon saw in his day!
No comments:
Post a Comment